KINGSTON, Jamaica — Natoya Goule struck her first major senior title when she won the women’s 800m gold medal at the Pan-American games in Lima, Peru today.

Goule ran a well timed race, battling Cuba’s Rose Marie Almanza down the home stretch before winning in 2 minutes 01.26 seconds.

The Cuban took the silver in 2:01.64 seconds with Uruguay’s Deborah Rodriquez taking the bronze in 2:01.66 seconds.

It was Jamaica’s second gold after Fedrick Dacres won the men’s discus throw yesterday and Jamaica’s fourth medal in track and field.

The day started good for Jamaica as both female sprint hurdlers advanced to their final tomorrow while Shericka Jackson and Demish Gaye also booked their spots in the women’s and men’s 400m finals respectively tomorrow.

Jackson was easy in her race cruising to a 51.99 seconds clocking to win her semi-final heat, barely working up a sweat in the process.

Anastasia Le-Roy failed to advance after she finished seventh in her semi-final in 54.18 seconds.

Only one of the two men advanced in the men’s 400m after Demish Gaye took an automatic qualifying spot by placing third in his semi-final but Terry Thomas finished seventh in his race and crashed out of contention, finishing in 46.97 seconds.

Gaye ran 45.47 seconds as Colombia’s Anthony Zambrano won with 45.13 seconds with Grenada’s Bralon Taplin taking second with 45.38 seconds.

Former World Under-18 gold medallist Yanique Thompson and Megan Simmonds qualified for Thursday’s final of the 100m hurdles after today’s semi-finals.

Thompson won her semi-final in 12.90 seconds (0.5m/s) while Simmonds was third in her in 13.10 seconds (-0.1m/s) and will line up in the final as they both chase medals.

Paul A Reid